Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-03
BANKING LIKE A DOG.
Nothing TO Back Up this One Sym
tom of Hydrophobia.

Nothing TO Back Up this One Sym
tom of Hydrophobia.
From the Pensacola fFLd.) Commercial
Tuesday afternoon a number Of people
of all colors f1ocked to a little house on
Government, in which reside a coIored
woman, Bella Woodson and her 1O-year-
old daughter Cordelia. AS reports from
that locality became more widely scat
tered over the city, callers became N ore
numerous, and at 6 O'Clock p. m, when a
reporter repaired to the spot
there was large crowd of people in the
street in front OF the house discussing the
wonderful case within. A policeman
stood at the door ard refused admit
lance to everybody but the reporter,
who stepped inside and found DR.. w. +,
Fordham bending over a bed whic stood
in one corner OF the apartment, upon
which lay the girl aforementioned.
Round about were several women, among
them the mother, and two or three men,
one Of whom was the mothers father. The
report which had been circulated on the
streets was TO the effect that case of n.y.
drophobis had developed in this house, but
that the victim, 10-year-0ld colored girl,
was exhibiting but one symptom OF the
dreaded disease. whining, growing and
barking like dog, The reporter had not
been In the room three minutes when
from the bed came several rapidly deliv-
cred, most perfect barks, and, but for the
fact that he was watching the girl, ami
saw her as she gave utterance to them,
he could scarcely have been convinced
that there was not dog in the room, so
perfect an imitation OF a canine bark
were they.
These barks were delivered at inter-
walls OF about ten minutes. To the doc
doris queries it was positively asserted
that the child had never been bitten,
neither had either of the parents, by dog,
cat, wolf or anything else. The child
was perfectly rational, had not the slight
est fever, and felt no pain in any part of
her body. She expressed sense OF
shame at the barking she Was forced to
do.
To the reporter, the mother, when
asked how long the child had been In this
condition, said that twenty-three days
ago the child was taken with kind of
spasmodic jerking at the stomach, not
exactly commissions, and yesterday
morning she tainted, Recovering from
the fainting tit she began barking like q
dog, and felt 90 Keenly her position that
she remarked to her mother that It would
never do to have the neighbOrs know OF
called in.
The reporter and the doctor left the
house together, the latter having pre-
scribed nervine. To the query by the
reporter as TO the nature OF the case, DR..
Fordh2m frankly admitted that he had
never in his experience seen or heard OF
anything like it. he had not yet con-
cluded his diagnosis, and be would on the
morrow invite other physicians to
accompany him when he visited the pa
tient.
To-day at u O'Clock Drs. Fordham,
Heron and Renshaw, accompanied by
the reporter, repaired to the house and
found the patient doing somewhat better,
tue barking, which was still being contin-
ued, being less in volume and delivered
at greater intervals. The child slept
well during the night and barked none,
but, on awaking this morning, resumed
the delivery Of the strange sounds.
The two Visiting physicians expressed
themselves TO an effect similar TO the an
swer of DIR. Fordham to the reporier-they
had never heard OF or seen anything Ike
IL in their experience. All, however, were
inclined 10 believe 1t nervous affection,
and secuted the idea that It might be n.y.
drophobia. DIR. Fordham said subse-
quently to the reporter that, In his opin-
Ion, the case resulted from an inhamma-
ton OF the nerve centres, which had pos
sibly been induced by precocious devel-
opment. he had not, however, concluded
his diagnosis, and would not say anything
positively in this connection.
Some OF the colored people living 10 the
vicinity Of the house where the patient
resides are confident that the child 10 the
victim OF avoud0o doctor, aud no amount
OF persuasion can induce them 10 change
this superstitlous belief.
The attending physician does not appre-
bend fatal termination OF his case.
Scarf Pins, Collar Bottoms aud Studs,
L. nnrln nag nlnrn 90 MN 49,